1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer apparatus, a digital copier, having an electronic-sorting function, a composite machine having functions of these apparatuses and also a facsimile function, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital copier, a printer apparatus or the like has a storage memory for storing input image data therein, and can selectively read the image data from the storage memory and output it.
Such an image forming apparatus can perform various functions such as: a continuous copying function of repeatedly reading the same image data and copying a plurality of sheets of the same image continuously; a so-called electronic-sorting function of storing in a image memory a plurality of pages of image data input from a high-order apparatus or a scanner, controlling an order of reading the image data from the storing memory and performing printing operations so as to perform sorting not using any mechanical sorting function; and a function of rotating or changing in size of the image data read from the storing memory so as to output an image in a condition different from that of the original image. Further, it is also possible to perform these functions combinationally.
For example, when a document consisting of a plurality of pages is printed so as to obtain a plurality of collated copies of the document, it is possible to perform sorting printing, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, so that the separation between adjacent copies can be easily recognized, by rotating image data for each copy. FIG. 1 shows a case where a document consisting of 10 pages is printed so as to obtain four continuous collated copies of the document. (In this case, the image data is rotated for each copy. However, it is also possible that the image data is not rotated for each copy. In this case, the four collated copies of the document are output continuously, as shown in FIG. 1, but the orientations of all the sheets are the same as each other. Such sorting is called electronic sorting. That is, in electronic-sorting printing for obtaining n copies of a document consisting of m pages, m pages for the first copy are output in sequence, m pages for the second copy are output in sequence, m pages for the third copy are output in sequence, . . . , and, then, m pages for the n-th copy are output in sequence. The example shown in FIG. 1 is obtained as a result of combining electronic sorting and rotation sorting.) In the case of FIG. 1, for the first copy, the image data is input to the storage memory and to a printing portion at the same time. For the copies subsequent to the first copy, the image data is input from the storage memory to the printing portion. The rotation of the image data is performed at the same time only for the even-numbered copies, and printing of the image data is performed on a paper sheet having the orientation corresponding to the thus-rotated image data. Thus, by ejecting copies in a manner in which orientations of the copies are changed alternately for each copy, it is possible to reduce a sorting work performed by human hands.
In such a kind of image forming apparatus, when image data is stored in a storage memory, the image data developed in a page memory is compressed and stored as code data, generally. However, because the capacity of the storage memory is limited, there may be a case of occurrence of a memory-full condition where it is not possible to store all the pages of input image data in the storage memory depending on a type (character data, image data, graphic data, or the like) of the image data and the number of pages.
For example, a case of a copier, when an original document consisting of a plurality of pages is read in sequence and printing is performed such as to obtain a plurality of collated copies of the document, will now be considered. In this case, read image data is developed in a page memory in sequence, and, then, the image data is sent to a storage memory and a printing portion at the same time. However, when the storage memory enters a memory-full condition while the original document is being read, all the pages are not printed out for the first copy. At this time, the last printed-out page of image data is only sent to the printing portion, but is not stored in the storage memory.
When the data in the storage memory is cancelled in this case, printing for the copies subsequent to the first copy is not performed at all and the printing is stopped. Therefore, it is necessary for an operator to again perform all the operations and settings for reading the original document.
Further, when printing for the copies subsequent to the first copy is performed using only the pages of the image data which were stored in the storage memory (such a kind of printing is called forcible printing), because a number of pages of the image data which can be read from the storage memory is one less than the number of pages which were printed for the first copy, the number of pages printed for the first copy is different from the number of pages printed for each of the copies subsequent to the first copy. That is, for the first copy, the page which was being developed in the page memory at the time the storage memory entered the memory-full condition can be printed. However, because this page of image data is not stored in the storage memory, this page of image data is not printed for the copies subsequent to the first copy.
Therefore, to solve the problem, the image data for the pages which are stored in the storage memory, may be sent to the printing portion and be printed out, and, then, the image data for the page being processed at the time the storage memory became full, may be sent to the printing portion from the page memory directly and be printed out.
However, because, normally, an image rotating portion is placed between the storage memory and printing portion, when the image data is sent to the printing portion from the page memory to the printing portion directly without passing through the storage memory, this image data cannot be rotated. As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, sorting is not performed correctly.
The example of FIG. 2 shows a case where, when a document consisting of 10 pages is attempted to be printed so as to obtain four continuous collated copies of the document through a combination of electronic sorting and rotation sorting, the storage memory becomes full during the sixth page of image data being stored there. In this case, when forcible printing for the copies subsequent to the first copy is attempted to be performed using only the image data stored in the storage memory, the last page (in this example, the sixth page) which was printed for the first copy is not printed. Therefore, the image data for the pages (in this example, the first page through fifth page) which are stored in the storage memory, is sent to the printing portion without emptying the page memory until the printing for the specified copies (in this example, four copies) is finished, and, after the image data for the last page (in this example, the fifth page) of each copy is printed out, the image data for the subsequent page (in this example, the sixth page) stored in the page memory is sent to the printing portion directly and is printed out.
However, because the image data from the page memory does not pass through the image rotating portion, it is not possible to perform rotating processing on this image data. As a result, when the rotating processing is performed on the image data from the storage memory, sorting is performed in erroneous units, as shown in FIG. 2. In this case, it is necessary for an operator to again perform sorting manually. Therefore, in comparison to a case where only electronic sorting is performed but rotation sorting is not performed, the operator must perform a troublesome work.
In order to prevent such a problematic situation from occurring, the image rotating portion may be provided before the storage memory. However, if so, it is necessary to store two kinds of image data, one before rotation and the other after rotation, for the same page. Therefore, it is necessary to double the capacity of the storage memory, resulting in a big increase in the costs.
In electronic-sorting printing in the related art, when a plurality of copies are obtained through printing, there is a case where, after an operator confirms that printing for the first copy has been correctly performed (test printing), the operator inputs instructions through an operation panel to start printing for a necessary number of copies. In this case, a printer apparatus waits for instructions by the operator to start printing for copies subsequent to the first copy.
Further, when a host computer gives a subsequent printing request (second printing job) to the printing apparatus which is in the condition of waiting for instructions to start printing of copies subsequent to the first copy after performing printing for the first copy as test printing (first printing job), the host computer must wait because the printer apparatus does not receive the subsequent printing request (second printing job).
Further, when an operator gives a subsequent printing request (second printing job) to the printing apparatus which is in the condition of waiting for instructions to start printing of copies subsequent to the first copy after performing printing for the first copy as test printing (first printing job), the operator must wait because the printer apparatus does not receive the subsequent printing request (second printing job).
Further, when test printing is set in the subsequent printing request (second printing job) given to the printing apparatus which is in the condition of waiting for instructions to start printing of copies subsequent to the first copy after performing printing for the first copy as test printing (first printing job), the host computer and operator must wait because the printer apparatus does not receive the subsequent printing request (second printing job).
Further, when a subsequent printing (second printing job) is performed by the printing apparatus which is in the condition of waiting for instructions to start printing of copies subsequent to the first copy after performing printing for the first copy as test printing (first printing job), the subsequent printing (second printing job) is performed between the printing of the first copy and the printing of the second copy (first printing job), and, thereby, the printing is mixed.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus having functions such that, even when a storage memory becomes full during storing of image data when a document consisting of a plurality of pages is attempted to be printed to obtain a plurality of collated copies of the document using a combination of electronic sorting and rotation sorting, printing processing for the specified copies can be performed completely, and, also, sorting in erroneous units can be prevented.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a printer apparatus which, when receiving a printing request (second printing job) while waiting for instructions to start printing of copies subsequent to a first copy after performing printing for the first copy as test printing (first printing job), performs page development and storage of a page image corresponding to the printing request (second printing job). Thereby, it is not necessary for a host computer to wait. Further, when a paper-ejection destination of a printing request (second printing job) is different from that of preceding printing (first printing job), the printer apparatus receives the printing request (second printing job) so as to perform printing. Thereby, it is not necessary for an operator to wait. Further, when test printing is set in a second printing job, the printer apparatus gives priority thereto so as to perform the printing (second printing job). Thus, the printer apparatus does not have the operator waiting.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, comprises:
a data developing portion which develops image data in a predetermined format from input data;
a page memory which stores therein the image data in a page unit developed by the data developing portion;
a storage memory which stores therein the image data read from the page memory;
an image compressing portion which compresses the image data when the image data is input to the storage memory;
an image decompressing portion which decompresses the compressed image data when the image data is output from the storage memory;
an image rotating portion which rotates the image data from the image decompressing portion, and, then, outputs the image data; and
a printer portion which prints an image in accordance with the image data read from the page memory or the storage memory,
wherein the input image data for a plurality of pages is stored in the storage memory, a reading order of the image data from the storage memory is controlled, and, also, the image data is printed out after being rotated (relatively 90xc2x0, this being the same hereinafter) alternately in copy units, so that sorting printing can be performed such that a separation between adjacent copies can be easily determined (that is, an electronic-sorting and rotation-sorting printing can be performed),
wherein:
the apparatus further comprises a distribution/switching portion which transfers the image data read from the page memory to only either one of the storage memory and the printing portion or to both portions; and
when the storage memory becomes full during processing of printing out of the image data read from the page memory and transferred to both the storage memory and the printing portion at the same time for a first copy, the function of the image rotating portion is caused to not be effected for copies subsequent to the first copy, and, also, the pages of image data which are stored in the storage memory are printed out, and, the page of image data processed at the time the storage memory became full is transferred from the page memory to the printing portion and is printed out.
In this arrangement, the rotation sorting is performed only when storage of image data in the storage memory has been normally completed. When forcible printing is performed for copies subsequent to a first copy, the function of the image rotating portion is caused to be not effected, and, also, the pages of image data which are stored in the storage memory are printed out, and, the page of image data processed at the time the storage memory became full, this page being not able to be rotated, is transferred from the page memory to the printing portion and is printed out. As a result, although the boundary between adjacent collated copies cannot be recognized, it is possible to perform printing processing for a specified number of copies to the end, and, also, to prevent sorting from being performed in erroneous units.
An image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, comprises:
a data developing portion which develops image data in a predetermined format from input data;
a page memory which stores therein the image data in a page unit developed by the data developing portion;
a storage memory which stores therein the image data read from the page memory;
an image compressing portion which compresses the image data when the image data is input to the storage memory;
an image decompressing portion which decompresses the compressed image data when the image data is output from the storage memory;
an image rotating portion which rotates the image data from the image decompressing portion, and, then, outputs the image data; and
a printer portion which prints an image in accordance with the image data read from the page memory or the storage memory,
wherein the input image data for a plurality of pages is stored in the storage memory, a reading order of the image data from the storage memory is controlled, and, also, the image data is printed after being rotated alternately in copy units, so that sorting printing can be performed such that a separation between adjacent copies can be easily determined (that is, the electronic-sorting and rotation-sorting printing can be performed),
wherein:
the apparatus further comprises a distribution/switching portion which transfers the image data read from the page memory only to either one of the storage memory and the printing portion or to both portions; and
when the storage memory becomes full during processing of printing out of the image data read from the page memory and transferred to both the storage memory and the printing portion at the same time for a first copy, the page of image data processed at the time the storage memory became full is transferred from the page memory to the printing portion and is printed out for necessary copies after printing out for the first copy is finished, and, then, the image data stored in the storage memory is used to be printed out for copies subsequent to the first copy.
In this arrangement, when the storage memory has become full, before forcible printing for the copies subsequent to the first copy is performed, the image data stored in the page memory, on which data the rotation processing cannot be performed, is input to the printing portion and is printed out for the necessary number of copies. In this case, the sheets on each of which the image data read from the page memory has been printed out should be interleaved at predetermined positions later manually. However, the boundary between adjacent copies can be clearly recognized, and, also, the printing processing for the specified number of copies can be performed to the end. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a sorting work by human hands.
An image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, comprises:
a data developing portion which develops image data in a predetermined format from input data;
a page memory which stores therein the image data in a page unit developed by the data developing portion;
a storage memory which stores therein the image data read from the page memory;
an image compressing portion which compresses the image data when the image data is input to the storage memory;
an image decompressing portion which decompresses the compressed image data when the image data is output from the storage memory;
an image rotating portion which rotates the image data from the image decompressing portion, and, then, outputs the image data; and
a printer portion which prints an image in accordance with the image data read from the page memory or the storage memory,
wherein the input image data for a plurality of pages is stored in the storage memory, a reading order of the image data from the storage memory is controlled, and, also, the image data is printed after being rotated alternately in copy units, so that sorting printing can be performed such that a separation between adjacent copies can be easily determined (that is, the electronic-sorting and rotation-sorting printing can be performed),
wherein:
the apparatus further comprises a distribution/switching portion which transfers the image data read from the page memory to only either one of the storage memory and the printing portion or to both portions, and a plurality of paper ejecting trays; and
when the storage memory becomes full during processing of printing out of the image data read from the page memory and transferred to both the storage memory and the printing portion at the same time for a first copy, the page of image data processed at the time the storage memory became full is transferred from the page memory to the printing portion and printed out, after the printing out for the first copy is finished, on sheets which are ejected to one of the plurality of paper-ejection trays, and the image data stored in the storage memory is used to be printed out for copies subsequent to the first copy on sheets which are ejected to another one of the plurality of paper-ejecting trays.
In this arrangement, when the storage memory has become full, each sheet on which the image data has been printed out, which data has been stored in the page memory, and on which data the rotation processing cannot be performed at the time of forcible printing for the copies subsequent to the first copy, is ejected to the paper-ejection tray different from the paper-ejection tray to which the other sheets are ejected. In this case, the sheets on each of which the image data read from the page memory has been printed out should be interleaved at predetermined positions later manually. However, the boundary between adjacent copies can be clearly recognized, and, also, the printing processing for the specified number of copies can be performed to the end. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a sorting work by human hands.
An image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, comprises:
a data developing portion which develops image data in a predetermined format from input data;
a page memory which stores therein the image data in a page unit developed by the data developing portion;
a storage memory which stores therein the image data read from the page memory;
an image compressing portion which compresses the image data when the image data is input to the the storage memory;
an image decompressing portion which decompresses the compressed image data when the image data is output from the storage memory;
an image rotating portion which rotates the image data from the image decompressing portion, and, then, outputs the image data; and
a printer portion which prints an image in accordance with the image data read from the page memory or the storage memory,
wherein the input image data for a plurality of pages is stored in the storage memory, a reading order of the image data from the storage memory is controlled, and, also, the image data is printed after being rotated alternately in copy units, so that sorting printing can be performed such that a separation between adjacent copies can be easily determined (that is, the electronic-sorting and rotation-sorting printing can be performed),
wherein:
the apparatus further comprises a distribution/switching portion which transfers the image data read from the page memory only to either one of the storage memory and the printing portion or to both portions; and
when the storage memory becomes full during processing of printing out of the image data read from the page memory and transferred to both the storage memory and the printing portion at the same time for a first copy, all the pages of image data which are stored in the storage memory are rotated and printed out, and the page of image data processed at the time the storage memory became full is transferred from the page memory to the printing portion and printed out, for copies subsequent to the first copy.
In this arrangement, when the storage memory has become full, all the image data stored in the storage memory is rotated and is printed out in the forcible printing for the copies subsequent to the first copy. In this case, the page data, read from the page memory, on which data the rotation processing cannot be performed, is printed out, and the-thus-obtained copies of the page act as boundaries. As a result, it is possible to more clearly recognize the boundary between adjacent copies. Thereby, it is possible to reduce a sorting work by human hands.
The image forming apparatus may further comprises a plurality of paper-ejection trays, and sheets on which are printed, respectively, pages of image data from a first page of image data through a page of image data processed at the time the storage memory became full may be ejected to one of the plurality of paper-ejection trays, and sheets on which subsequent pages of image data are respectively printed may be ejected to another one of the plurality of paper-ejection trays.
In this arrangement, when the storage memory has become full, all the image data stored in the storage memory is rotated and is printed out in forcible printing for the copies subsequent to the first copy, and, also, the sheets on which the incomplete sets of pages of the image data printed out in the forcible printing for the copies subsequent to the first copy has been printed out are ejected to a destination (paper-ejection tray) and the sheets on which the remaining pages of the image data has been printed out are ejected to a different destination (paper-ejection tray). In this case, the page data, read from the page memory, on which data the rotation processing cannot be performed, is printed out, and the-thus-obtained copies of the page act as boundaries. Also, it is possible to more clearly recognize the boundary between the incomplete sets of pages printed out through the forcible printing for the copies subsequent to the first copy and the following pages (the rest). Thereby, it is possible to reduce a sorting work by human hands.
An image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, comprises:
a data developing portion which develops image data in a predetermined format from input data;
a page memory which stores therein the image data in a page unit developed by the data developing portion;
a storage memory which stores therein the image data read from the page memory;
an image compressing portion which compresses the image data when the image data is input to the the storage memory;
an image decompressing portion which decompresses the compressed image data when the image data is output from the storage memory;
an image rotating portion which rotates the image data from the image decompressing portion, and, then, outputs the image data; and
a printer portion which prints an image in accordance with the image data read from the page memory or the storage memory,
wherein the input image data for a plurality of pages is stored in the storage memory, a reading order of the image data from the storage memory is controlled, and, also, the image data is printed after being rotated alternately in copy units, so that sorting printing can be performed such that a separation between adjacent copies can be easily determined (that is, the electronic-sorting and rotation-sorting printing can be performed),
wherein:
the apparatus further comprises a distribution/switching portion which transfers the image data read from the page memory to only either one of the storage memory and the printing portion or to both portions; and
when the storage memory becomes full during processing of printing out of the image data read from the page memory and transferred to both the storage memory and the printing portion at the same time for a first copy, the pages of image data which are stored in the storage memory are printed out for a necessary number of copies after printing out for the first copy is finished, and, then, the page of image data processed at the time the storage memory became full is transferred from the page memory to the storage memory and stored there, and is printed out when remaining pages of image data are printed out for copies subsequent to the first copy.
In this arrangement, when the storage memory has become full, after the printing out of the pages of image data which are stored in the storage memory is performed for the necessary number of copies (the forcible printing for the copies subsequent to the first copy) the printing out for the first copy has been finished, the image data, which data is read from the page memory, and on which data the image rotating processing cannot be performed, is transferred to, from the page memory, and stored in the storage memory. Then, when the remaining pages of image data are printed out, the page of image data, thus transferred to and stored in the storage memory is printed out at the time of printing out of the remaining pages for each of the copies subsequent to the first copy. In this case, although the number of pages printed for the first copy before the forcible printing is different, by one, from the number of pages forcibly printed for each of the copies subsequent to the first copy, sorting for the respective copies can be performed only by laying the incomplete set of pages of the first copy on top of the remaining pages of the first copy, the incomplete set of pages of the second copy on top of the remaining pages of the second copy, . . . . Thereby, it is possible to further reduce a sorting work by human hands.
After the pages of image data which are stored in the storage memory are printed out for the necessary number of copies after printing out for the first copy is finished, it may be determined whether or not the last page of the thus-printed pages has been rotated, and, when the last page of the thus-printed pages has not been rotated, the remaining pages of image data may be rotated and printed out for the first copy, and, in response thereto, the remaining pages of image data may be rotated or may not be rotated and printed out for each of copies subsequent to the first copy so that rotation and non-rotation of the remaining pages of image data are alternately performed for the copies including the first copy in copy units.
Here, xe2x80x98rotationxe2x80x99 means relatively rotating a predetermined angle sheets between adjacent copies. Normally, the rotation angle is 90xc2x0 (right angle), and, in this case, the orientations of sheets on which image data has been printed out and ejected are alternately changed, that is, to be vertical, horizontal, vertical, horizontal, . . . , in copy units
In this arrangement, when the storage memory has become full, after the printing out of the pages of image data which are stored in the storage memory is performed for the necessary number of copies after the printing out for the first copy has been finished, it is determined whether or not the last page of the thus-printed-out pages has been rotated. When the last page of the printed-out pages has not been rotated, the image data of the remaining pages for the first copy is rotated, and, then, in response thereto, the image data of the remaining pages for the copies subsequent to the first copy is rotated or is not rotated in copy units alternately, that is, the image data of the remaining pages for the second copy is not rotated, the image data of the remaining pages for the third copy is rotated, the image data of the remaining pages for the fourth copy is not rotated, . . . . As a result, by determining whether or not the last page of pages printed out through forcible printing has been rotated, and, printing out the remaining pages after rotating or not rotating alternately in copy units in accordance with the result of the determination, it is possible to clearly recognize the boundary between the sheets of copies formed through forcible printing and the sheets of copies of the remaining pages without changing a paper-ejection tray. Thereby, it is possible to further reduce a sorting work by human hands.
A printer apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, which has an electronic-sorting function and performs printing using image data, comprises:
a subsequent print request receiving portion which receives a subsequent print request when instructions to start printing for a second copy in electronic-sorting printing are waited for; and
a page image storing portion which performs page development of image data of the received print request and stores the thus-obtained page image.
In this arrangement, a subsequent print request is received in a condition where instructions to start printing for a second copy in electronic-sorting printing are waited for (after printing for the first copy has been performed as test printing), and page development and page storage of print data of the thus-received print request are performed. Thereby, it is not necessary for a host computer which has attempted to transmit the print request to the printer apparatus to wait.
The printer apparatus may further comprises a paper-ejection destination determining portion which determines a paper-ejection destination of the print request in the case where the print request is received when the instructions to start printing for the second copy in the electronic-sorting printing are waited for (after printing for the first copy has been performed as test printing).
The printer apparatus may further comprises a non-same paper-ejection destination print request printing portion which performs printing of the print request in a case where it has been determined that a paper-ejection destination of the printing of the print request received when the instructions to start printing for the second copy in the electronic-sorting printing are waited for (after printing for the first copy has been performed as test printing), determined by the paper-ejection destination determining portion, is not the same as a paper-ejection destination of the electronic-sorting printing, the instructions to start the printing for the second copy in this electronic sorting printing having been waited for.
In this arrangement, in a case where a paper-ejection destination (paper-ejection tray) of a print request (second printing job) is not the same as a paper-ejection destination (paper-ejection tray) of electronic-sorting printing (first printing job), instructions to start printing of copies subsequent to a first copy in this electronic-sorting printing having been waited for, printing of the print request (second printing job) is performed. Thereby, it is not necessary for an operator who have made the print request (second printing job) to the printer apparatus to wait.
The printer apparatus may further comprises a test printing priority portion which gives priority to test printing so as to perform the test printing in a case where the subsequent print request is received when the instructions to start printing for the second copy in the electronic-sorting printing are waited for and the test printing has been set in the above-mentioned print request.
In this arrangement, priority is given to test printing so that the test printing is performed when the test printing is set in a print request (second printing job). Thereby, it is not necessary for an operator who have made the print request (second printing job) to the printer apparatus to wait.
The printer apparatus may further comprise a test printing priority selecting portion which is used for selecting whether the function of the test printing priority portion is to be effected.
In this arrangement, it is possible to select whether or not priority is given to test printing so that the test printing is performed when the test printing has been set in a print request (second printing job). As a result, it is possible to prevent test printing from being mixed between first and second copies of electronic-sorting printing (first printing job).
Other objects and further features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.